French Revolution Timeline

Main

Financial Crisis

1787 - 1789

The queen overspent and France lent a lot of money to the United States during their revolution to cause this financial crisis. This led to higher taxes on the people, which led to an increased burden on people who were already economically stressed.

Counterrevolution

1789 - 1815

The counter revolution was made of of various groups, in and outside of France who were opposed to the French Revolution and wanted to change its course. Consisted of nobles, ecclesiastics, and some bourgeois and more. This agrees with the DRMC because it shows how people are allowed to organize on a common belief.

Estates General

1789 - june 17, 1789

The estates general was a meeting between the three estates summoned by King Louis XVI to discuss solutions to his governments problems. It ended when the third estate formed the national assembly. This meeting was important because it signaled the upright of the french revolution.

Tennis Court Oath

1789

The deputies came together at a nearby indoor tennis court and took an oath saying they would not separate until the constitution of the kingdom was established. This was important because it showed the unification of the revolution and it signified the first time citizens stood against the king. It complied with the DRMC because they're reforming a corrupt government.

Storming Bastille

July 14, 1789

Occurred in Paris France. The Bastille was a fortress/prison which represented royal authority, so when the national guard/rebels tore it down it signified that they did not want to be ruled by the absolute monarchy anymore. Yes this agrees with the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen because it says that a government should be a tool of the people and if not, it should be destroyed- which the people did.

Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen

August 26, 1789

A document of the French Revolution and defines the individual and collective rights of ALL the estates. This document made the estates equal and fixed the treatment of the 3rd estate. Yes it agrees with itself.

The Great Terror

September 5, 1789 - July 28, 1794

The Great Terror was a period of time when people were executed based off accusations of organizing a counterrevolution. The guillotine killed 16,594 including the King and Queen of France. Does not comply with the Declaration of the Rights of Men because the document states that "liberty consists in the freedom to do everything which injures no one else" implying that people have freedom of speech.

Creation of National Assembly

September 20, 1792 - October 26, 1795

Making laws, it was the revolutionary government they came up with for temporary purposes.

Creation Of National Convention

September 20, 1792 - October 26, 1795

The revolutionary government that was set up for temporary purposes. Its importance was it saved France from civil war and invasion.

Execution of Louis XVI

January 21, 1793

King Louis was executed by means of the guillotine. It symbolizes the fact the the monarchy is dead. It follows the DRMC to an extent by getting rid of a abusive government. Because the King committed treason of abandoning the country at time of need, and at that time treason was punishable by death, the people had the right to execute him.

Reign of Terror

September 5, 1793 - July 28, 1794

Violence that occurred after the French Revolution. The death toll in the tens of thousands.

Napoleonic Reforms

1804

The Napoleonic Reforms is the French civil code, established under Napoleon. The code forbade privileges based on birth, allowed freedom of religion, and specified that government jobs should go to the most qualified. It was important because it was a major step in replacing the previous patchwork of feudal laws and it influenced the whole world. This agrees because it gave people simple liberties.

Napoleon's rise to power

1804

Napoleon Bonaparte was known as an excellent strategist who had gained the respect of his men through bravery and courage under fire. Even though he was defeated in Egypt, Napoleon returned a hero. Supported by his army he collaborated in a coup d’état to overthrow the Directory and establish the Consulate. By 1800 Napoleon had become the First Consul of France, and was now in a position of total power. This was an important step for french government. This agrees with the DRMC because it is giving France the ability to chose their leader.

Invasion of Russia

June 24, 1812 - April, 1814

The invasion of Russia started when when Napoleon's forces crossed the Neman River. It ended up being a turning point during the Napoleonic Wars. It reduced the French and allied invasion forces and triggered a major shift in European politics. The reputation of Napoleon as an undefeated military genius was shaken, while the French Empire's former allies, at first Prussia and then the Austrian Empire, broke their alliance with France and switched camps. This ultimately triggered the War of the Sixth Coalition. This agrees with the DRMC because the were doing something that the believed was right.

Congress of Vienna

September 1814 - June 1815

The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of European states chaired by Austrian statesman Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, and held in Vienna. The objective of the Congress was to settle the many issues arising from the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars, and the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. This agrees with the DRMC because they settling issues as a democracy.

Battle of Waterloo

June 18, 1815

The battle of Waterloo was a battle within the Napoleonic Wars. The size of the armies were 23,000 British troops with 44,000 allied troops and 160 guns against 74,000 French troops and 250 guns. It was fought near Waterloo in present-day Belgium. This was important because Napoleon was defeated, and this defeat at Waterloo ended his rule as Emperor of the French. This agrees with DRMC because they were fighting for what they believed in.